Mayor O'Dekirk Scuffle: Charges Dropped Against 2 Men

JOLIET, IL —On Thursday afternoon, the Will County State' s Attorney's Office informed Judge Brian Barrett that criminal charges were not being filed against the two young Black men involved with an altercation with Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk on May 31. The incident occurred after Joliet police broke up a Black Lives Matter demonstration that became unruly at the corner of Jefferson Street and Larkin Avenue.

Chicago lawyers Lawrence O'Reilly and Michael Baker told reporters they were extremely pleased with Thursday's developments at the Will County Courthouse.

"On today's date, no charges were filed," Baker told journalists afterward. "We think Victor and Jamal have absolutely no culpability."

The Chicago lawyers are representing Victor Williams and Jamal Smith, the two Joliet men involved with an altercation O'Dekirk and several officers at the Joliet Police Department.

On May 31, Mayor Bob O'Dekirk is seen pulling a Black man down to the ground during the Black Lives Matter protests in a video that has been widely circulated. Once that man, later identified as Williams, is brought over toward a Joliet Police Department car, the police officers can be seen beating him. His brother, Smith, is seen on the video as well, Patch has reported.

About 15 demonstrators and supporters of Smith and Williams gathered outside the courthouse Thursday. Some of them carried signs denouncing Joliet's mayor.

The lawyers for Williams and Smith said that the Will County State's Attorney Office, theoretically, has up to 18 months on whether to re-file charges against their clients.

Williams and Smith were initially arrested on misdemeanor charges of mob action and aggravated assault, their lawyers told Joliet Patch and other reporters Thursday. They spent several hours in a Joliet Police Department holding cell, had their mugshots taken and were fingerprinted, their lawyers said.

On Thursday afternoon, O'Reilly revealed that he will be filing a federal lawsuit, probably in the next 30 days, against O'Dekirk and several unidentified Joliet Police officers who O'Reilly says were involved in beating up their clients on the night of May 31.

O'Reilly said the federal lawsuit would accuse the defendants of deprivation of civil rights, unlawful arrest and excessive force, among other things.

In the meantime, the Illinois State Police is still conducting its outside independent investigation into the events involving the O'Dekirk scuffle.

O'Reilly said he did not know whether the Illinois State Police plans to bring any criminal charges against Joliet's mayor for his role in the incident.

Baker wanted everyone to know that Williams and Smith are both innocent men.

"Our clients have not done anything wrong," Baker told reporters. "I would say that today is a step in the right direction for Jamal and Victor."